SOURCES OF INTRINSIC MOTIVATION IN LATER ADULTHOOD: A QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS

Abstract A distinct sense of purpose and motivation is increasingly recognized as a contributing factor in successful aging and prolonged health in older adults. While prior studies have established the relationship between intrinsic motivation, defined purpose, and health outcomes, it is essential for care providers and researchers to understand the underlying sources of purpose and motivation for older adults. This study examined qualitative data collected over a two-week period from a sample of older adults (N = 15) in the Midwest. Participants documented daily, through written journal entries and photography, aspects of their lives that they felt illustrated sources of purpose and motivation. The journal entries were then transcribed, aggregated, coded, and analyzed for potential themes. Two researchers coded the data; and a codebook was used to increase coding consistency. Using latent thematic analysis, three distinct themes developed from the dataset. First, engagement in behaviors and activities that incorporated aspects of mindful practices, particularly sensory awareness and grounding, proved to be motivating for many of the participants. The second theme discovered that participants found purpose in active social participation, where a subtheme regarding the impact of technology on maintaining relationships emerged. In the third theme, a goal-oriented mindset proved to be a key aspect of ongoing motivation, with a particular focus on cognitive and physical development, lifelong learning, and planning for the future. Overall, the data pointed to three distinct themes that can be used to foster ongoing opportunities for greater meaning in the lives of older adults.


VOLUNTEERING AND RISK OF HEART ATTACK IN LATER LIFE: THE MODERATING ROLE OF PURPOSE IN LIFE?
Mallory Bell 1 , and Kenneth Ferraro 2 , 1. Purdue University, Center on Aging and the Life Course, Lafayette,Indiana,United States,2. Purdue University,West Lafayette,Indiana,United States Background and Objectives: Although research on the health benefits of volunteering has proliferated in recent decades, most studies are cross-sectional, and none prospectively examine the relationship between volunteering engagement, purpose in life, and heart attack. Research design and methods: This study uses seven waves of data (2006)(2007)(2008)(2009)(2010)(2011)(2012)(2013)(2014)(2015)(2016)(2017)(2018) from the Health and Retirement study--a nationally representative survey of adults over age 50 (N=5,093). Event history analysis using Cox proportional hazards were used to examine if volunteering engagement in later life reduced the risk of first heart attack and if the effects of volunteering vary by level of purpose in life.
Results: Results reveal that volunteering, and doing so at a low time commitment, reduces the risk of first heart attack in later life. Additionally, the effect of volunteering varies by sense of purpose in life, such that volunteers with a strong sense of purpose in life had the lowest risk of heart attack. Implications: The findings of this study will inform public health and policy interventions dedicated to extending and improving later life health.

PURPOSE IN LIFE, STRESS REACTIVITY, AND COGNITIVE AGING: A LONGITUDINAL INVESTIGATION
Niccole Nelson, and Cindy Bergeman, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, United States This study examined (1) the time-varying relationship between purpose in life and perceived stress reactivity, (2) the trajectory of perceived stress reactivity as it relates to both within-and between-person purpose in life, as well as (3) the predictive utility of perceived stress reactivity and its rate of change on cognitive ability and allostatic load. The sample comprised 933 participants from the Notre Dame Study of Health & Well-being, a 10-year study of annual questionnaire packets and biennial daily diary bursts. Analyses included three-level multilevel models from which random effects were extracted and used to predict allostatic load and cognitive ability. Results indicated that individuals were affectively reactive to perceived stress, and that perceived stress reactivity declined over time. Considering the effects of purpose in life on these processes, there were two cross-level interaction effects indicating (1) more purposeful individuals were less stress reactive than less purposeful individuals, and (2) more purposeful individuals declined less in negative affect over time than less purposeful individuals. There was also preliminary evidence for a within-person interaction effect between yearly purpose in life and daily affective reactivity such that when individuals felt particularly purposeful, they also tended to be less stress reactive. Finally, higher perceived stress reactivity, as well as less decline in this construct, was predictive of better cognitive ability. These findings indicate purpose in life buffers against environmental and maturational effects on negative affect, and that perceived stress reactivity may indicate a different, more adaptive process than affective reactivity to experienced stressors.

SOURCES OF INTRINSIC MOTIVATION IN LATER ADULTHOOD: A QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS Melinda Heinz, Nathan Benton, and Laura Gleissner, Upper Iowa University, Fayette, Iowa, United States
A distinct sense of purpose and motivation is increasingly recognized as a contributing factor in successful aging and prolonged health in older adults. While prior studies have established the relationship between intrinsic motivation, defined purpose, and health outcomes, it is essential for care providers and researchers to understand the underlying sources of purpose and motivation for older adults. This study examined qualitative data collected over a two-week period from a sample of older adults (N = 15) in the Midwest. Participants documented daily, through written journal entries and photography, aspects of their lives that they felt illustrated sources of purpose and motivation. The journal entries were then transcribed, aggregated, coded, and analyzed for potential themes. Two researchers coded the data; and a codebook was used to increase coding consistency. Using latent thematic analysis, three distinct themes developed from the dataset. First, engagement in behaviors and activities that incorporated aspects of mindful practices, particularly sensory awareness and grounding, proved to be motivating for many of the participants. The second theme discovered that participants found purpose in active social participation, where a subtheme regarding the impact of technology on maintaining relationships emerged. In the third theme, a goal-oriented mindset proved to be a key aspect of ongoing motivation, with a particular focus on cognitive and physical development, lifelong learning, and planning for the future. Overall, the data pointed to three distinct themes that can be used to foster ongoing opportunities for greater meaning in the lives of older adults.

LAY PERSPECTIVES ON SUCCESSFUL AGING IN ROMANIA
Angélique Roquet 1 , Mariana Barbut 2 , Cornelia Pocnet 3 , and Daniela Jopp 1 , 1. University of Lausanne,Lausanne,Vaud,Switzerland,2. Lausanne University Hospital,Lausanne,Vaud,Switzerland,3. lausanne university,Lausanne,Vaud,Switzerland Successful aging is a topic of world-wide interest, yet much work focuses on specific and highly industrialized countries, such as the USA. The present study investigated lay perspectives of the concept of successful aging in young, middle-aged, and older adults from Romania. Ninety-three participants aged between 20 and 84 years were asked about definitions and determinants of successful aging. Based on a previous study, codes were developed to capture common themes among the answers, resulting in 14 categories. Participants mentioned four themes on average to describe successful aging, which varied by sociodemographic, health and psychological variables: individuals of younger age, with higher levels of education, in better health and those more satisfied with their aging mentioned more themes. Regarding specific topics, Social resources and Health were mentioned most frequently, followed by Quality of life, Financial situation, and Attitudes/Mechanisms. Young adults were more likely to mention Social resources, Success/Respect, and Aging themes, while older adults mentioned more often Meaning of life themes. Finally, we found that the themes mentioned were related to self-perception of aging, particularly among older adults: Older adults more satisfied and with positive views own aging were more likely to mention Social resources, Independence, and Attitudes/Mechanisms themes, while those with negative views on aging were more likely to mention Micro-environment themes. In sum, findings support the multidimensionality of lay perspectives of successful aging and offer insights on the understanding of successful aging in Eastern Europe, including topics and links to general and personal aging experiences.

MODELS OF OLDER ADULT GROUP ENGAGEMENT TO IMPROVE HEALTH MANAGEMENT
Mary Hynes 1 , Nicole Anderson 2 , Monika Kastner 3 , and Arlene Astell 1 , 1. University of Toronto,Toronto,Ontario,Canada,2. University of Toronto,North York,Ontario,Canada,3. North York General Hospital,Toronto,Ontario,Canada We are studying the use of peer-to-peer group intervention as a means of promoting older adult health self-efficacy and self-management. To explore how older adults have worked together to improve health behaviors, a scoping review was conducted of older adult peer coaching in health maintenance or health improvement groups. Seventeen studies met all search criteria, including interventions examining the value of peer support in self-management of diabetes, a peer led program for fear of falling, and the effect of self-help groups on quality of life. Two models of peer engagement were identified: peer support and mutually supportive environments. Ten studies trained older adults to be peer mentors or leaders with training periods varying from two days to 30 weeks, although many did not include details of the training. The other seven studies examined mutually supportive environments for peer engagement such as a clinician-led with peer-support model, an app-based program with a social support component, and a prevention focused mutual support group. These studies included research comparing self-care and quality of life results after self-help group therapy and a study that analyzed the impact and role of volunteering at a seniors' centre on maximizing member self-efficacy. While all studies reported on peer self-health engagement, there were many different goals ranging from evaluating health improvement programs to comparing peer and professional health group leadership. One consistent theme was improved perceived self-efficacy though peer group engagement.